Texas Architect July/August 2013: Light

Texas Architect July/August 2013: Light

Sketches that bring sunlight and moonlight into spaces in creative, playful ways; otherworldly experiments in color centered on the early morning and evening skies; the construction of shade for people and plants; an oasis of densely planted, colorful cacti in the desert; and the benefits of daylight for work and study — this issue is about natural light and design. The projects featured illustrate a range of artistic and functional expressions where light is essential to the experience of each space.

Portfolio: Small Office Buildings
Warehouse Transformation
Project Hughes Warehouse Adaptive Reuse, San Antonio Client AREA Real Estate Architect Overland Partners Design Team Jim Shelton, AIA; Patrick Winn; Bess Swantner, AIA; John Burleson; Fernando Ortega; Albert Condarco Photographer Dror Baldinger, AIA
For its new home, Overland Partners converted a 26,000-sf warehouse in the burgeoning River North area of downtown San Antonio. By drawing on the historical roots of the space, the adaptive reuse of the 1918 building went beyond a simple renovation to transform not just the warehouse, but the firm itself. Overland’s new ground-floor studio is organized around collaborative areas integrated into the existing structural grid under daylit clerestories. The open forum of the studio fosters communication and integration among the employees, and the collaborative areas facilitate project reviews, client meetings and charrettes, and other events. There is also a series of seven closed meeting spaces thoughtfully placed within the space to allow for privacy and focused collaboration.
The existing structure was built of longleaf pine and brick. To add natural light and ventilation to the space, the architects inserted a courtyard, around which the building is now organized. Glass and steel, including new punched windows and a window wall overlooking the courtyard, were used to filter light into the interior spaces. Raw sheet steel and reclaimed wood were used in the conference rooms and workshops. While this materials palette preserves the history of the industrial space, the architects propelled the building’s efficiency forward with the integration of modern lighting and mechanical systems. Solar panels installed on the roof offset 60 percent of the building’s energy consumption. The new courtyard serves to expand the entry sequence from the compressed street edge
76 Texas Architect
7/8 2013